Inside This Week’s Episode: If you want students to engage more with each other about their reading, then considering adding literature circles (or book clubs as they are often called) into your instructional strategy. Literature circles are a powerful way to incorporate meaningful, student-led discussions, motivate struggling readers, and help your elementary students take more ownership of their learning.

Do You know what students love to do?

Talk.

Give them a hot second to chat, and pretty quickly your classroom will be filled with conversations about video games, and sports, and whatever the latest kid-trend is.

Unless you’ve asked them to talk about what books they are reading. Theeeen you often hear crickets.

Kids simply don’t know how to talk about the books they are reading. They often don’t know how to discuss the characters and plot and interesting facts.

Enter in: Literature Circles (or book clubs as they are often referred to)

Literature circles harness our students’ love of talking, and turn it in to a book-talking, thought-provoking, student-led conversation that is meaningful, AND builds stronger reader and thinkers.

That is, if they are done correctly and with intention.

That’s where this week’s episode comes into play. We’re breaking it all down with how to structure your book clubs, the roles your students will play, and how to make book-talking magic in your elementary classroom.

Ready to harness the power of (book) talk?

Here’s a Snapshot:

• [01:30] A major component of successful reading instruction is variety. Variety in the types of books your students are going to read, variety in how you present new skills and strategies, and variety in the way that students interact with the books themselves — and each other. Literature circle add variety to your current readers workshop model and offer students a new way to practice a variety of skills.

• [03:54] In book clubs, every student plays a role! They choose or are assigned roles that empower them to participate in the discussion of various aspects of the text. These roles might include a word collector, a questioner, an illustrator, a connector, and a summarizer. I’ll break down exactly what each role is responsible for and how these roles work together to help students have meaningful discussions.

• [5:12] Using a tool like a literature circle “Think Sheet” helps to not only guide students in their specific role, but it also keeps them accountable to the other members in their literature circle group. I’ll tell you where you can snag a FREE “Think Sheet” to use with your own students.

• [7:51] Literature circles are powerful. They encourage collaborative learning, and provide a guided space for students to dive deeper into a text. Working in small book clubs helps to include and motivate reluctant learners who might otherwise fade into the background in a whole-group setting. At its very core - book clubs make reading FUN!

• [9:41] There are a lot of moving parts when it comes to establishing literature circles in the elementary classroom. I’ll walk you through everything from how to set routines, procedures, and behavioral expectations to how to introduce and roll out literature circles gradually in your classroom. I’ll even give you a game-plan for what lessons to use with your students to get book clubs up and running!

• [21:15] Make literature circles work for you! I’m sharing a few hot tips that will allow you to modify and customize literature circles to fit into your existing readers workshop or reading block.

Links & Resources Mentioned in the Episode

EPISODE 57: Accountable Talk: A Teacher's Guide to Encouraging Deeper & More Meaningful Talk Among Students (Includes FREE Posters!)

POST: Giving Students More Choice in the Classroom

RESOURCE: Getting Started in Literature Circles (A complete teacher’s guide with teacher & student resources!

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Transcript